Endicott police issued a statement saying when they arrived on scene, they found Tasheane Johnson outside of apartment 6, and a deceased man, Michael A. Kelly, in front of the apartment door.

Police said Johnson stated she arrived home this morning and found the apartment in flames and filled with smoke.

They said Johnson found Michael A. Kelley collapsed on the steps in the apartment and screamed for help.

Several residents from the apartment complex said a neighbor from apartment 7 ran into the house while it was on fire to try and help pull Kelley out.

When the fire crews arrived at the scene, they were met with heavy smoke and fire. It took them approximately 20 minutes to get the fire under control, Griswold said.

The upper floor of apartment 6 also collapsed.

Investigators believe the blaze started in the apartment's kitchen, but the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A resident in the apartment complex said the smoke alarms weren't operational.

"I had to smell smoke to know that there was a fire," said Tramell McLaughlin, who lives in apartment 17.

"My goddaughter was in the apartment next door to the fire, and I had to bang on her door for two minutes to wake her up and get her out," McLaughlin added.

Code enforcement is looking into whether the alarms were working at the time of the fire, Griswold said.

The complex was evacuated for hours, although residents were allowed to return to their homes as of noon. The two apartments adjacent to apartment 6 are uninhabitable because of smoke and water damage.

Crews from Endicott, Endwell, West Corners, West Endicott and Union Center responded to the scene along with Endicott police.